MasterFormat

The MasterFormat system was designed by the Commercial Specification Institute in an attempts to organize construction documents in a uniformed manner.  The format uses a system similar to that used in a library to separate the different drawings by general and increasingly specific features.  Construction documents can be hundreds of pages long, typically on huge blueprint paper, making thumbing through them difficult if not impossible.  MasterFormat allows construction professional and tradespeople an easy index to find what they are looking for, this saving both time and money.

Reach for the Sky

Building a skyscraper is an amplified view of the many people and processes involved in a construction project.  This video gives a glimpse of the many steps involved in starting a project and building the bones or skeleton.  While this seven story building may not be a skyscraper by most people's standards, it does show the process and people involved in building a multi-story commercial building.  From the bidding process to "going vertical", it is evident that the need for focus and coordination is essential to the success of a building project.  The technology that is currently available brings both benefits and challenges.  One of the most interesting  elements of the bidding process was the construction of a 3-D model.  While this used to be done with glue and an X-acto knife, the development of the 3D printer makes construction of the model easier and more accurate.  This is AMAZING technology...

Another fascinating person on a construction sit is the field paleontologist.  It is this person's job to check for fossils during the extensive excavation of preparing a construction site.  This earth work is tremendously costly and the discovery of a burial ground of other significant artifacts can add both time and money to a project.  Nonetheless, virtually every site has at least one paleontologist on site to sift through the rock and dirt as it is moved to make way for the new building.

Steel construction transformed the ability to go tall, forever changing the skylines of cities around the world.  The transition of riveting the girders to bolting them has allowed modern day construction to save both time and money.  Also, the addition of rebar to the concrete foundation allows for a balance of the vertical or gravity load caused by the weight of the building and the horizontal load created by wind and earthquakes.  Engineers also account for the strategic break of the steel structure by adding "dog bones" or weak point so buildings can have beams repaired or replaced without unnecessary demolition.

The construction documents for a building such as the one in this video can be upwards of 300-500 pages.The construction manager is often coordinating thousands of task and jobs to be sure they are done in a timely and accurate manner. All of this is just reminder of the work and coordination needed to successfully build a skyscaper.